BATON ROUGE - State officials today banned a new synthetic drug which is blamed for at least one death in Louisiana.

The compound, called 25i, was added to the Controlled Dangerous Substance Act. State health officials, lawmakers, and law enforcement made the announcement at the State Police crime lab.

Authorities said an Arkansas man died after inhaling it at the recent Voodoo Fest in New Orleans, and two other people using it had to be hospitalized. The substance is blamed in at least five other deaths nationwide.

Louisiana health officials said two calls have been made to the state poison control center because of 25i, but they believe it could be responsible for more drug overdose cases because it's difficult to pinpoint the exact drug responsible.

"The chemicals that go into these dangerous substances have no legitimate, medical uses and we are taking all steps available to find and punish those distributing it so we can keep our state safe," said DHH Secretary Bruce Greenstein today.

The drug could cause hallucinations, euphoria, confusion, paranoia and panic according to authorities.